New research from Bupa highlights a knowledge gap in the UK between dental health and its connection to physical and mental wellbeing
London, Wednesday 18 September 2024: Two in three (65%) 18 - 34-year-olds admit they know more about their mental health than their dental health, according to new research from Bupa – with 19% acknowledging they did not know there was any connection between oral health and mental wellbeing. Just 13% of all Brits felt they were better informed about their dental health than their mental health.
The results come as part of a wider look into how much Brits really know about how dental health is connected with their overall physical and mental wellbeing. And the answer is very little, especially when it comes to mental health. 85% of respondents did not think mental health worries were related to the health of their teeth, tongue or gums. Drilling deeper, only 12% knew their oral health could be connected to panic attacks, while just 7% understood the links to bipolar disorder.
There’s also low public awareness of the link between oral health and mouth cancer, with just over half (53%) recognising this connection. Even fewer are aware of the impact on conditions like diabetes (25%) or heart illness (14%).
To raise awareness about the importance of oral health, Bupa has launched The Great Unexplored – a new campaign to encourage more people and families to prioritise their oral health, spot warning signs, and learn more about oral care.
When people realised the direct impact of dental hygiene on their overall health, over three-quarters (78%) of them said it changed their attitudes. And 61% of those promised to start taking better care of their oral hygiene going forward.
Nearly three quarters of respondents (73%) agreed more needs to be done to shine a light on the impact oral hygiene has on overall wellbeing, with two thirds (67%) feeling the importance of oral health was underrepresented in the UK media and 63% saying schools could be good places to instil better habits in kids from a young age.
Dr Neil Sikka, Director of Dentistry at Bupa Dental Care said: “Typically, people come to the dentist when they’re in pain, or for a check-up on tooth decay or gum disease – but we can detect far beyond this and not many people are aware.
“This new research shows there is still a lot of work to be done to close the knowledge gap. As dental professionals, it’s our responsibility to educate patients on the critical role that dental health plays in their overall health. We often serve as the first line of defence in detecting oral health conditions that could indicate early signs of systemic health issues like diabetes or heart disease.
“It’s easy to overlook dental health or see it as purely cosmetic, but our whole body is connected. “At Bupa, we’re in a unique position to offer patients access to dental and wider health care, providing them with peace of mind when they most need it.”
As part of this campaign,Bupa has launched an interactive game to test what people do and don’t know about the broader implications of their oral health.
Alongside the research, Bupa also took to the streets to ask passersby how much or little they know about dental health. You can watch their responses on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.
